Major League Soccer, is set to start the league season this weekend and what a year it’s likely shaping up to be — a new deal with Apple TV+, rumors of an expanded playoff format, a new competition happening mid-year with Leagues Cup against all of the Mexican teams in the top division (Liga MX), extra competitions with US Open Cup and Champions Cup, and it’s promising to be a busy year. If you don’t know by now, I am Rev Brad and this is the Soccer Chaplains United podcast, From the Touchline. Today, I am joined by a couple special guests as Ben Dudley and Troy Ready, volunteer co-chaplains with the Portland Timbers and part of Soccer Chaplains United,

Today on the From the Touchline podcast, I am joined by special guest and friend, Dillon Powers. Dillon is a midfielder for Orange County Soccer Club which plays in the United Soccer League — Championship division in the US. The team, based in Orange County, California, won the USL championship back in 2021 and Dillon enters his third season with the club after stints in MLS, Scotland, and Ireland. I've known Dillon ever since he broke into Major League Soccer and was named MLS Rookie of the Year in 2013. This cagy midfielder joins me today to give more insight into what preseason looks like for the professional elite footballer and shares ways to get through the preseason and season

Since moving to Colorado in 2010 and turning on the television to watch the local soccer team in the MLS Cup final, Kevin Hasenack has been a fan — not just of football (soccer), but of the Colorado Rapids. But more than a fan, this local pastor to Calvary Wellspring (located in Aurora, CO) has been involved in the game at different points and in different ways. Pastoring and befriending a former Colorado Rapids 1st Team player and his family further piqued his interest in the "Beautiful Game," but also revealed some of the more difficult sides to being an elite pro. The challenges that I see is that athletes are asked of a lot: fans ask a lot of them,

Last week saw more of the Major League Soccer (MLS) 2021 playoff picture come into focus. Ben Dudley and Troy Ready's Portland Timbers took down my own Colorado Rapids on Thanksgiving Day. It was a heartbreaking loss as Colorado fans packed out the stadium in hopes of seeing the #1 seed in the West advance. But it wasn't to be with a 90th minute scramble in the box and a Timbers team that displayed the urgency to come away with the win. Billy Cerveny's Nashville SC took down Orlando City FC but fell in penalty kicks (2-0) on Sunday to the Philadelphia Union after a 1-1 draw. Beyond following Portland, most teams will now scatter for the season. Some players

Less than a month ago, a hefty majority of Soccer Chaplains United chaplains found that their teams were headed for playoffs in their perspective leagues. Hopes were high, but several teams stumbled in spite of achieving this pivotal milestone for a long season of soccer. Of the teams that remain in the playoff hunt, Major League Soccer (MLS), Ben Dudley and Troy Ready's Portland Timbers won against Minnesota United FC, 3-1. They will face my own Colorado Rapids this Thursday, on Thanksgiving Day in an MLS first — a national, televised match on Thanksgiving. Billy Cerveny's Nashville SC play a home game this Tuesday night at 4:00 pm Eastern against Orlando City FC in a game televised on FS1 and